IVS Program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Interested MD degree students who's medical school is outside of the U.S. can apply for participation in the International Visiting Student (IVS) Program. Students apply by reviewing resource information first then completing an online application form. Go to the IVS Program Qualifications & Requirements page to get started.

Students may not apply by contacting Stanford doctors, faculty, or program coordinators. Any documents sent to the IVS Program office outside the application process will not be processed.

There are a limited number of IVS Program participants that are accepted into each elective clerkship. Availability is subject to change each clerkship period based on a variety of factors, for example, the total number of available spots in the clerkship, number of Stanford students enrolling, number of domestic visiting students participating, and number of IVS Program requests.

No, core clerkships must be completed at your home school before coming to Stanford as a visiting student. International visiting students participate in specific elective clerkships after being accepted in the IVS Program.

IVS Program participation is based on your home school's location, rather than your citizenship. If your home medical school is located outside of the U.S., you would be considered an international visiting student.

You must be in your final year of medical school by the time you apply for enrollment in an elective clerkship. For example, if you are a 5th year student applying for a clerkship that will take place during your 6th and final year, this is acceptable.

Stanford Medicine will not provide advice regarding a student's visa requirements or status. Visa requirements are determined by the U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Consular Affairs. It is the student's sole responsibility to understand their individual travel requirements when considering applying for participation in the IVS Program.

IVS Program participants are not considered an employee of Stanford University, nor are they considered an exchange student. Stanford does not provide documentation for the student to secure a visa in order to travel to the United States.

The IVS Program does not offer shadowing or observership activities. Observerships are department specific and are handled directly by the associated department. You can contact a desired School of Medicine Department directly for inquiries regarding shadowing.

You will need the email address of your recommenders in order to have them submit their Letter of Recommendation (LoR) on your behalf. You can upload documents in the Portfolio section, however, in the Letter of Recommendation (LoR) section, your recommenders will submit their LoR on their own.

Stanford Medicine requires a Criminal Background Check (CBC) for all IVS Program applicants. You can submit your online application while waiting for your CBC to be completed. The amount of time for your CBC to be completed will vary since it's dependent on the length of time resources become available from your country of origin. International Police Clearance may have longer turnaround times. If you are scheduled in an elective clerkship, the CBC needs to be completed prior to the start date.

Please carefully read the qualifications and requirements for the IVS Program before completing an online application. Immunization records will only be requested if you are accepted into the program and you are scheduled to participate in an elective clerkship. If you are scheduled, onboarding details will be sent to you.

After required documents are submitted, the applications are forwarded to departmental contacts for review. Any recommendations for acceptance are communicated to the IVS Program manager. Available elective clerkships are then scheduled for IVS Program participants after requests from Stanford students and domestic visiting students are accommodated.

Yes, if you're accepted into the IVS Program and are able to enroll in an elective clerkship, you should be able to rent or buy a bike during your stay at Stanford. Consult Stanford's Parking & Transportation website for details on local bike shops, bike sales, and rental opportunities. Also check out the Campus Bike Shop that's located near the center of the Stanford campus.